REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM >>LORENE: HELLO, I'M LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

WE'RE DOING A SPECIAL SHOW, BUT A VERY SPECIAL EVENT THAT'S COMING UP IN SANTA FE AND ITS CREATORS ARE WITH US TODAY, CLARE HERTEL AND MARK BRYANT.

THANK YOU, TELL US.

>>CLARE: THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>>LORENE: WHAT IS THE SANTA FE INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL THAT WE WILL BE HOLDING IN SANTA FE MAY 19TH THROUGH 21ST, PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDARS, FOLKS.

WE DON'T HAVE CONSTELLATIONS LIKE THIS, LITERARY EVENTS, NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL, THE BEST WRITERS IN THE WORLD.

YOU'RE BRINGING THEM ALL HERE FOR A WEEKEND.

>>CLARE: WELL, WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO BE BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR AND I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE HELP BRING THIS TOGETHER.

AND THIS YEAR, AS YOU SAID, IT'S MAY 19TH THROUGH THE 21ST, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OVER 30 DIFFERENT EVENTS.

SOME MAJOR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AUTHORS COMING IN, OUR OWN SUPERSTARS HERE AND I CAN JUST TELL YOU FROM LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR WE PUT IT ON AS SORT OF A SEE HOW IT GOES AND PEOPLE JUST LOVED IT, I MEAN, WE LOVED IT.

IT WAS JUST AN AMAZING WEEKEND TO HAVE THESE AUTHORS COMING IN FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND THEN ALSO HAVING OUR TALENT THERE AND EVERYBODY HAVING A CHANCE TO MEET THEIR LITERARY HEROES AND ALSO BE INTRODUCED TO PEOPLE THEY DON'T KNOW.

AND JUST THIS WEEKEND LOOKING AT SOME REALLY SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN THE WORLD, IT WAS ALL UPLIFTING.

I FELT LIKE EVERY AUTHOR NOT ONLY TALKED ABOUT ISSUES DEEPLY, BUT THAT IT LIFTED US UP.

SO I THINK THE SECOND YEAR IS GOING TO BE EVEN BETTER.

>>LORENE: WELL, WITH YOUR LINEUP, YOU KNOW, FOR ONE THING, YOU START UP WITH NATALIE GOLDBERG.

THIS IS ONE OF HER BOOKS ABOUT HAIKU AND THE HOMELAND, IT'S CALLED THREE SIMPLE LINES , BUT SHE'S DOING WITH JOAN HALIFAX, ZEN MISTRESS, DOING THE, OPENING UP EACH DAY WITH THESE MORNING MEDITATIONS.

AND THEN FROM THERE IT GOES, YOU'VE GOT REALLY SOME OF THE LEADING LIGHTS IN LITERATURE IN THE WORLD.

>>CLARE: WE'RE SO LUCKY TO HAVE THOSE TWO STARTING OFF BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WITH A READING AND A MEDITATION.

>>MARK: IT'S A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO START A DAY.

>>LORENE: YOU BET.

>>MARK: VERY INSPIRING.

>>LORENE: YOU BET.

AND SO HOW, MARK, I KNOW YOU HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THIS.

>>CLARE: HE DID.

>>MARK: WE HAD OUR OTHER CO-FOUNDER, CARMELLA PADILLA.

OUR LONG, LONG, LONG TIME, DEAR FRIEND.

>>CLARE: THIS WOULD NOT BE HAPPENING WITHOUT HER.

>>LORENE: AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HER EVENT ABOUT RUDOLFO ANAYA, WE'RE GOING TO SKIP TO THAT REALLY QUICK.

THAT IS ON AT 2:00 PM ON MAY 21ST.

SHE HAS PUT TOGETHER THIS WITH ESTEVAN RAEL-GALVEZ, MY FAVORITE HISTORIAN.

BUT THEY PUT TOGETHER THIS TRIBUTE TO RUDY ANAYA, CERTAINLY ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED OF ALL NEW MEXICO AUTHORS.

AND THE SPEAKERS AT THAT EVENT WILL BE DENISE CHAVEZ AND LUIS ALBERTO URREA, I MEAN.

>>CLARE: HOW EXCITING TO HAVE HIM.

>>LORENE: I WOULDN'T MISS THAT FOR ANYTHING.

BUT MARK, I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF WHO, WHAT EXPERIENCE, WHO HAS THE EXPERIENCE AND THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE CONNECTIONS TO ASSEMBLE THESE LUMINARIES AND IT WAS YOU.

SO TELL US.

>>MARK: WELL, IT WAS A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE.

>>LORENE: I KNOW IT WAS A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE THE ONE WHOSE CALLS THEY RETURN AND TELL US WHAT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH BOOKS, WRITERS AND PUBLISHING HAS BEEN, THAT YOU HAVE SUCH ACCESS TO DRAW ALL THESE STRINGS TOGETHER TO MAKE IT WORK.

>>MARK: WELL, YOU'RE TOO KIND, BUT I'VE BEEN AN EDITOR AND A PUBLISHER, AND A JOURNALIST FOR A LONG TIME.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU DO IT LONG ENOUGH AND YOU'RE OBSESSIVE ENOUGH, PASSIONATE ENOUGH AS A READER, I MEAN I READ VERY WIDELY ACROSS A LOT OF DIFFERENT GENRES.

THE THOUGHT WAS TO, YOU KNOW, REACH OUT TO MANY PEOPLE WE KNOW WELL, GOOD FRIENDS OF MINE, BUT ALSO AS WE DID LAST YEAR, BUT ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE THINK ARE JUST GREAT AUTHORS.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>MARK: YOU KNOW, IT'S A DIVERSE GROUP OF, I THINK, BRILLIANT, ENTERTAININGWORLD LEADING AUTHORS, YOU KNOW, FROM AROUND THE WORLD, YES, BUT ALSO LITERALLY DOWN THE STREET.

WE HAVE AT LEAST 25 LOCAL AUTHORS INVOLVED IN THE FESTIVAL AS WELL.

>>LORENE: AND ALTHOUGH THEY LIVE HERE AND WORK HERE, THEY ARE INTERNATIONALLY FAMOUS.

WE HAVE AN AMAZING CONSTELLATION OF BRILLIANT LOCAL AUTHORS.

>>MARK: YEAH, EXACTLY.

WE'RE REALLY SPOILED IN THAT WAY AND WE WANT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE, LITERARY FICTION, MEMOIR, HISTORY, SCI-FI, FANTASY.

>>LORENE: YOUNG FICTION THIS YEAR.

>>MARK: YES.

INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM, MYSTERY, SCIENCE, WRITING THRILLERS, ADVENTURE.

TRYING TO HIT A LOT OF DIFFERENT NOTES.

SO AS I SAY, THERE'S A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

MANY OF THESE PEOPLE, THEIR RECENT BOOKS HAVE BEEN BESTSELLERS, PRIZE WINNERS, TOP 10 BOOKS OF THE YEAR LISTS IN MULTIPLE MEDIA OUTLETS.

MANY HAVE HAD THEIR WORK ADAPTED FOR POPULAR FILMS AND TV SERIES AND SOME ARE SIMPLY EMERGING WRITERS THAT WE THINK, THAT WE REALLY LOVE AND THAT WE THINK THE REST OF THE WORLD SHOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT AS WELL.

SO YEAH, I THINK TOGETHER WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE, I THINK TAKEN TOGETHER THEY REPRESENT SOME OF THE FINEST WRITING AND THINKING DONE OUT THERE ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF THINGS.

>>LORENE: YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE WONDERS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE CAN DO THIS A FEW WEEKS AHEAD OF TIME IS TO LET PEOPLE GET STARTED ON THEIR READING.

SO WOULD YOU MENTION A COUPLE OF YOUR FAVORITES AND I'LL MENTION A COUPLE OF MINE.

>>MARK: SURE, ABSOLUTELY.

COLUM MCCANN WILL BE THE OPENING ACT ON FRIDAY NIGHT, MAY 19TH.

HE IS AN INTERNATIONAL TREASURE.

FIRST CAME TO THE STATES, I BELIEVE AS A VERY YOUNG MAN, I THINK HE WAS RIDING HIS BIKE CROSS COUNTRY WITH SOME FRIENDS AND CAME THROUGH NEW MEXICO AND IT BLEW HIM AWAY.

LIVES IN NEW YORK NOW.

HE ALSO HAPPENS TO, ASIDE FROM BEING A GREAT WRITER, HE'S ALSO A FAMOUSLY BIG HEARTED, ENTERTAINING SPEAKER, YOU KNOW, AND TO TAKE NOTHING AWAY FROM UNFORGETTABLE BOOKS LIKE TRANS-ATLANTIC , THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD-WINNING, LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN.

I THINK HIS LATEST, WHICH IS WHERE I WOULD SUGGEST PEOPLE START WITH HIM IF THEY HAVEN'T, IS CALLED APEIROGON.

AND I THINK IT MAY BE HIS MOST TRANSCENDENT NOVEL YET.

IT TELLS THE REAL LIFE STORY OF TWO FATHERS WHO COME TOGETHER THROUGH THE LOSS OF THEIR DAUGHTERS IN THE ISRAELI PALESTINIAN CONFLICT.

THOUGH, I HAVE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE, IT SPEAKS ABOUT LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP AND LOSS AND COMPASSION THAT COULD BE SAID ANYWHERE IN MANY WAYS.

I MEAN, WE ALL RELATE TO IT.

I THINK IT'S, HONESTLY, I JUST THINK IT'S A WONDROUS BOOK.

I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, LUCKY TO WORK WITH HIM A LITTLE BIT IN THE PAST AND I CAN PROMISE PEOPLE AN UNFORGETTABLE EVENING WITH HIM.

>>LORENE: AND HE'S THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER OPENING ON FRIDAY NIGHT.

>>MARK: OPENING FRIDAY NIGHT AND HE WILL BE IN CONVERSATION WITH OUR OWN LOCAL WONDERFUL TALENT, DEBORAH TAFFA, WHO RUNS THE IAIA'S MFA CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAM.

ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT COLUM IS THE CO-FOUNDER OF NARRATIVE FOUR, WHICH IS THIS REMARKABLE ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS WITH STUDENTS AROUND THE WORLD TO BUILD A CULTURE OF CONNECTING THROUGH STORYTELLING THROUGH THE POWER OF STORY.

>>LORENE: WOW, THAT'S THE NAME OF THE GAME.

>>MARK: SO DURING THE DAY ON FRIDAY, AS PART OF OUR MUCH IMPROVED, INCREASED, EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAM, COLUM AND TWO OF HIS NARRATIVE FOUR COLLEAGUES WILL BE LEADING SANTA FE TEENS THROUGH, I THINK WHAT'LL BE A REALLY IMPACTFUL SESSION.

>>LORENE: I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

THERE'S YOUTH, THE WRITERS, VERY FAMOUS, WONDERFUL WRITERS ACTUALLY DO WORKSHOPS WITH TEEN WRITERS.

>>MARK: RIGHT.

>>CLARE: WE HAVE A WONDERFUL NEW MANAGER, A MAN WHO'S DOING OUR YOUTH PROGRAM CALLED RAASHAN AHMAD THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW, AND HE'S DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.

AND THERE'S GOING TO BE SMALL GROUPS OF YOUNG WRITERS THAT WILL BE AT THE FESTIVAL WITH SOME OF THESE BIG NAMES LIKE JENNIFER EGAN AND OF COURSE, COLUM MCCANN AND OTHERS, WHICH WILL BE FANTASTIC.

BUT HE'S PUT TOGETHER THIS AMAZING COMMUNITY STAGE THAT WILL BE WITH YOUNG POETS FROM WITTER BYNNER AND SOME READINGS FROM COMMUNITY COLLEGE KIDS AND THAT'S FREE TO THE PUBLIC THIS YEAR AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AMAZING.

WE HAVE FOOD TRUCKS DURING THE LUNCH HOUR AND SO I HOPE PEOPLE WILL COME OUT TO SEE THAT.

>>LORENE: THAT'LL BE IN THE COURTYARD.

SO THE EVENT IS HELD AT THE SANTA FE COMMUNITY CENTER, CONVENTION CENTER.

AND THEN THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL COURTYARD WITH THOSE FISH SCULPTURES.

>>MARK: BEAUTIFUL, AREN'T THEY?

>>LORENE: SO PEOPLE CAN COME AND KIND OF HANG OUT AND COME TO A LOT OF THE EVENTS.

>>CLARE: THEN WE'VE WORKED WITH THE LIBRARY AND THE COLLECTIVE WORKS TO ALSO PUT TOGETHER SOME GREAT EVENTS FOR YOUTH THAT SOME READING, SOME WRITING WORKSHOPS, THEY CAN FIND A WHOLE LIST OF IT ON THE WEBSITE, ALL OF THOSE ARE FREE.

THEN THE EVENT THAT COLUM'S GOING TO DO ON FRIDAY WITH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL KIDS I THINK WILL BE REALLY FANTASTIC.

I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO TALK WITH CARMELLA PADILLA IN A FEW WEEKS AND SHE CAN GIVE YOU THE WHOLE RUDOLPH ANAYATIMELINE.

THE LIBRARY'S DOING A WHOLE MONTH OF READING AND GIVING AWAY BOOKS AND THAT'S GOING TO BE FANTASTIC.

>>LORENE: GIVING AWAY 500 BOOKS?

>>CLARE: WE'VE HAD AMAZING PUBLISHERS HAVE SENT US BOOKS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND DENISE CHAVEZ IS GOING TO BE ACCEPTING SLIGHTLY USED BOOKS, THAT SHE'LL TAKE BACK TO HER WONDERFUL PROGRAM.

>>LORENE: IT'S CALLED LIBROS PARA EL VIAJE, BOOKS FOR THE JOURNEY.

THIS IS ONE OF HER BOOKS, THE KING AND QUEEN OF COMEZÓN AND THIS IS BY DENISE CHAVEZ, BUT SHE'S ONE OF NEW MEXICO'S FINEST WRITERS.

SHE TAKES BOOKS IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH AND JUST GIVES THEM TO PEOPLE COMING ACROSS THE BORDER.

IT'S LIKE, DOLLY PARTON SENDS A BOOK TO EVERY BABY IN THE COUNTRY AND THEN SHE SENDS THEM ONE EVERY MONTH AFTER THAT.

ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL?

I GUESS ONCE YOU'RE A BOOK PERSON, YOU'RE ALWAYS A BOOK PERSON.

YOU HAVE SOMETHING CALLED LITERARY DAY TRIPS.

>>CLARE: WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NATALIE, SHE AND KATIE ARNOLD ARE DOING A DAY THAT YOU CAN SIGN UP SEPARATELY, YOU'LL SEE IT ON THE WEBSITE.

IT'S A WRITING WORKSHOP WITH THE TWO OF THEM.

BUT ON MONDAY THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO EXTEND THEIR STAY.

>>LORENE: ISN'T MY FAVORITE FOOD WRITER, CHERYL ALTERS JAMISON DOING ONE?

>>CLARE: SHE'S DOING WHAT WE'RE CALLING A SPIRIT WALK AND TALK WITH LOS POBLANOS NEW FARM SHOP DURING THE WEEKEND AND ONLY 15 PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP FOR THAT, SO PEOPLE SHOULD GET ON THERE AND THEY'LL WALK OVER TO THE FARM SHOP, TASTE SOME OF THEIR SPECIALS.

>>LORENE: LAVENDER EVERYTHING.

>>CLARE: GINS AND SHE'LL TALK ABOUT NEW MEXICO FARMING AND THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY FUN.

>>LORENE: WOULD YOU REPEAT YOUR WEBSITE AGAIN, BECAUSE PEOPLE REALLY, ONCE THEY GO THERE AND SEE ALL THAT YOU'RE OFFERING, THEY WANT TO GET THEIR TICKETS EARLY.

WHAT'S YOUR WEBSITE?

>>MARK: THIS IS A MOUTHFUL, SFINTERNATIONALLITFEST.ORG >>LORENE: OH, GOOD.

>>MARK: SFINTERNATIONALLITFEST.ORG >>CLARE: GOOGLE SANTA FE LITERARY FESTIVAL.

>>LORENE: SO YOU HAVE SO MANY ELEMENTS IN WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

YOU HAVE ON STAGE WHERE THE AUTHORS WILL ACTUALLY READ AND MAYBE A DIALOGUE WITH AN EXPERT TALKING ABOUT THEM.

SO THERE'S THE READING, THERE'S THE CONVERSATIONS, I LOVE YOUR FOCUS ON THE YOUNG READERS AND YOU KNOW, YA CATEGORY BECAUSE THAT'S JUST SNUCK RIGHT INTO GREAT LITERATURE.

I MEAN, OF COURSE WE HAD CHARLOTTE'S WEB AND WE HAD, YOU KNOW, WINNIE THE POOH , BUT THERE'S NOW SOME BEAUTIFUL STUFF BEING DONE BY THE WAY, WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH CLAIRE HERTEL AND MARK BRYANT ABOUT THE SANTA FE INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL COMING UP IN MAY IN SANTA FE.

ALSO THE FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, BUT YOU HAVE GATHERED SUCH PEOPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, N. SCOTT MOMADAY IS YOUR HONORARY CHAIR.

>>MARK: YES, HE IS.

>>LORENE: AND HIS VOICE IS, HE AND JAMES EARL JONES.

>>MARK: VOICE OF GOD.

>>LORENE: EXACTLY.

THOSE ARE THE TWO VOICES OF GOD.

WHATEVER THEY SAY, I LISTEN.

LET ME ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION.

LAST YEAR WAS YOUR FIRST YEAR, IT WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC AND THAT WAS JUST THE LITERARY FESTIVAL, NOW IT'S THE INTERNATIONAL.

HAS IT BEEN REALLY REWARDING LOOKING AT, I WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF PEOPLE IN THE INTERNATIONAL SCOPE.

THIS IS A BOOK CALLED THE MAN WHO COULD MOVE CLOUDS BY INGRID ROJAS CONTRERAS.

>>MARK: YES.

YEAH, SHE IS THE REAL DEAL.

BORN IN COLUMBIA, TEACHES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO NOW, SHE HAD A MUCH ADMIRED DEBUT NOVEL CALLED THE FRUIT OF THE DRUNKEN TREE.

>>LORENE: OH YEAH.

>>MARK: AND NOW SHE HAS THIS INCANDESCENT GENRE DEFYING FAMILY HISTORY, A MEMOIR CALLED THE MAN WHO COULD MOVE CLOUDS .

YOU KNOW IT BEGINS WITH INGRID'S GRANDFATHER, A CURANDERO, WHO WAS SAID TO BE ABLE TO MOVE CLOUDS.

AND IT'S RICH WITH FAMILY TRUTHS AND LEGACIES AND SELF-DISCOVERY.

IT WAS NAMED A FINALIST FOR MANY MAJOR BOOK AWARDS THIS PAST YEAR, INCLUDING THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD, BEEN ON MANY BEST OF THE YEAR LISTS, SHE'S STILL YOUNG AND SHE'S JUST INCREDIBLY TALENTED.

>>LORENE: WOW.

>>CLARE: SHE'S SO DYNAMIC, I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET HER.

>>LORENE: I DON'T KNOW HOW, THIS FESTIVAL IS SO JAM-PACKED, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST WANTED TO GO TO ALL OF THEM.

SOMETIMES TWO OF THEM ARE AT THE SAME TIME.

THERE'S ANOTHER AUTHOR I WOULD LIKE YOU TO TALK TO US A LITTLE ABOUT.

THIS BOOK IS CALLED THE HEARTBEAT OF THE WILD DISPATCHES FROM LANDSCAPES OF WONDER, PERIL AND MORE, HIS NAME IS DAVID QUAMMEN, TELL US.

>>MARK: I'M A LITTLE BIASED, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING HIS EDITOR FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS.

>>LORENE: OH MY GOODNESS.

>>MARK: AND I'LL BE DOING THE EVENT, I'LL BE TALKING WITH HIM ON STAGE.

YOU KNOW, HIS WRITING ON SCIENCE AND DISEASE AND NATURAL HISTORY AND ALSO ADVENTURE WAS PART OF THIS BOOK FOR THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC FOUNDATION HAS PUBLISHED.

BOOKS LIKE BREATHLESS AND SPILLOVER AND THE TANGLED TREE, TO NAME JUST A FEW.

REALLY HIS WORK HAS NO EQUAL WHEN IT COMES TO NO EQUAL, PARTICULARLY SCIENCE WRITING.

BUT HE'S IN A VERY ADVENTUROUS SORT AS WELL.

IT'S NOT JUST IN HIS WRITING, BUT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE PHYSICAL THINGS HE DOES.

YOU KNOW AS THEY SAY, I'M A LITTLE BIASED, BUT THE NEW YORK TIMES I THINK WAS RIGHT ON THE MONEY WHEN THEY SAID, HE'S NOT ONLY OUR BEST SCIENCE WRITER, BUT ONE OF OUR BEST WRITERS.

BREATHLESS , WHICH WAS PUBLISHED, THIS IS COMING OUT A MONTH OR TWO, HEARTBEAT OF THE WILD COMES OUT A MONTH OR TWO BEFORE THE FESTIVAL, ANYTIME NOW.

BREATHLESS CAME OUT LAST YEAR, IT WAS A FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR NONFICTION.

HE'S AN AMAZINGLY SMART FUNNY LOVELY PERSON.

I HAVE OFTEN SAID THE STUDENTS OF MINE AND OTHER WRITER FRIENDS, THAT I'VE PROBABLY LEARNED MORE ABOUT WRITING FROM DAVID.

YOU KNOW HOW TO STRUCTURE STORIES, HOW TO JUST PROSE, I WILL PROBABLY LEARN MORE FROM WORKING WITH HIM THAN I HAVE FROM ANY WRITER I CAN THINK OF.

SO, YEAH, YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THAT ONE.

>>LORENE: NO.

>>CLARE: HE'S GREAT ON STAGE.

>>LORENE: WHAT WAS BREATHLESS ABOUT?

>>MARK: BREATHLESS IS A SERIES OF HIS PIECES OVER THE LAST 15, 20 YEARS.

>>CLARE: BREATHLESS, NOT HEARTBEAT .

>>LORENE: I ASKED BREATHLESS BECAUSE THE TITLE BREATHLESS JUST MADE ME WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS ABOUT.

>>CLARE: IT'S ABOUT COVID.

>>MARK: IT'S THE STORY OF THE RACE TO CREATE A VACCINE FOR COVID.

>>LORENE: WELL, THEY'RE STILL RACING.

>>MARK: THEY ARE STILL RACING, AND PART OF THE BOOK ALSO GETS INTO, YOU KNOW, DESPERATELY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND MORE AND MORE ABOUT LONG COVID.

BOOKS LIKE SPILLOVER WAS, I THINK A 2012 BOOK.

IN THAT HE TALKED ABOUT JUST HOW LIKELY IT WAS AND WHY THESE DISEASES COULD JUMP FROM ANIMALS TO HUMANS.

>>LORENE: OH YEAH, ZOONOTIC.

>>MARK: YEAH, EXACTLY.

TANGLED TREE ALSO DEALT WITH SOME OF THESE THEMES, I MEAN, HE IS REALLY FOREMOST AUTHORITY ON A LOT OF THIS.

HE IS REALLY GREAT.

>>LORENE: SO, HOW DO YOU DO ALL THIS READING?

>>MARK: I'M NOT GOING TO ADMIT, I WILL ADMIT THAT THERE ARE A FEW BOOKS I HAVEN'T READ IN HERE YET.

ONE THING I WOULD, I'D LIKE TO DO, I HAVE A LITTLE SHOUT OUT TO COLLECTED WORKS.

>>LORENE: ABSOLUTELY.

>>MARK: DOROTHY MASSEY OF COLLECTED WORKS BECAUSE SHE HAS THE OFFICIAL BOOKSTORE AT THE FESTIVAL IN THE CONVENTION CENTER LOBBY.

SHE HAS NOT ONLY AUTHOR'S NEW WORK, BUT SHE WILL HAVE, AS SHE DID LAST YEAR, INCREDIBLY DEEP BACK LISTS OF AUTHORS TOO.

SO YOU CAN GET PRETTY MUCH PROBABLY EVERY BOOK THAT DAVID HAS WRITTEN.

>>LORENE: AND SHE HAS AN ENCYCLOPEDIC KNOWLEDGE.

>>CLARE: SHE DOES.

>>LORENE: ALL LITERATURE.

SHE HAS USED HER STORE COLLECTED WORKS IN SANTA FE FOR NEW WRITERS, ALL WRITERS.

YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR BOOK LAUNCH AT COLLECTED WORKS AND SHE IS JUST SO SUPPORTIVE OF LITERATURE IN SANTA FE.

>>MARK: OUR OLDEST INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE, WE ARE ALWAYS DELIGHTED TO HAVE HER, HAVE THEM.

>>CLARE: AND SHE'S GIVEN US A LOT OF ADVICE AND GUIDANCE.

>>LORENE: PLUS SHE'S GOT ALL THESE BOOKS THERE, YOU CAN ORDER THEM ONLINE FROM HER.

>>CLARE: SHE'S GOT A FULL SECTION OF THE FESTIVAL AUTHORS AND THEIR BACK LISTS.

THEY'VE JUST BEEN INCREDIBLE.

YOU PROBABLY SAW THE BOOKSTORE THEY PUT TOGETHER AT THE FESTIVAL LAST YEAR.

>>LORENE: OH, I DID.

>>CLARE: INCREDIBLE.

>>LORENE: I DID, I DID.

>>CLARE: HOW FANTASTIC IT WAS.

>>LORENE: SO I'M VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS AND I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT I'LL HAVE TIME TO READ THE ONES THAT I'M INTERESTED IN.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE LAST YEAR WHEN WE DID THIS, WHEN I WAS ACTUALLY AT THE FIRST FESTIVAL GOING TO EVERYTHING I COULD, PEOPLE CAME UP TO ME AND SAID, I LIVE IN ROSWELL, I LIVE IN FARMINGTON, I WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS, IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR YOUR SHOW.

>>MARK: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: THEY'RE PEOPLE WHO READ ALL OVER THE STATE AND THIS IS THE HEADLINING EVENT FOR LITERATURE.

YOU KNOW, IT BELONGS HERE IN SANTA FE, BUT OTHER THAN THE LANNAN FOUNDATION AND THEIR WONDERFUL READING AND CONVERSATIONS SERIES, NO ONE IN SANTA FE HAS PUT TOGETHER, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SMALLER FESTIVALS AND I LOVE THEM ALL, BUT HAS PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING WITH THIS SCOPE AND THIS DEPTH.

>>CLARE: WELL, WITHOUT THIS LITERARY COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE HERE IN NEW MEXICO, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE COME TOGETHER.

HAMPTON SIDES, DOUG PRESTON.

>>LORENE: KIRK ELLIS, ANNE HILLERMAN.

>>MARK: KIRK ELLIS, THAT'S RIGHT.

>>CLARE: CARMELLA PADILLA, CO-FOUNDER, I MEAN, SHE'S AMAZING.

AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, MADE THE NEW MEXICO TICKETS 50% OFF OF WHAT WE TALKED.

>>LORENE: OH, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

>>CLARE: TO MAKE IT AFFORDABLE.

A REALLY LOW TICKET FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.

>>MARK: AND WE ALSO WILL GIVE AWAY A NUMBER OF STUDENT TICKETS, WE GAVE AWAY 500 OR SO STUDENT TICKETS LAST YEAR.

THE STUDENTS WHO WERE PARTICIPATING IN SOME OF THE READING AND WRITING PROGRAMS.

>>LORENE: THAT IS SO GREAT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO FOCUS ON WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, BUT THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE THIS YOUNG WRITERS, YOUNG READERS ELEMENT, YOU'RE GROWING, IT'S A GIFT TO OUR CULTURE TO HAVE PEOPLE, KIDS WHO WANT TO READ AND WHO WANT TO WRITE AND WHO ARE ABLE TO THINK.

>>CLARE: AND THIS YEAR WE SORT OF MADE THAT PROGRAM TWO PRONGED, YOU KNOW, ONE FOR YOUNG WRITERS AND READERS AND THEN THE OTHER PRONG BEING TO BRING ATTENTION TO LITERACY AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS IN OUR STATE WHERE WE HAVE SUCH A CHALLENGE WITH THAT.

SO WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WITH THEIR INFORMATION THERE AND WE HOPE PEOPLE WILL REALLY SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT.

>>LORENE: YES AND THE SHAME THAT GOES WITH ONLY BEING ABLE TO WRITE YOUR NAME.

AND THE WORLDS THAT OPEN UP WHEN YOU CAN READ.

>>MARK: I MEAN, BOOKS CAN BE, I'LL SAY JUST SHY OF EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY STARTING, I KNOW WHAT IT MEANT TO BECOMING LOST IN BOOKS AND IN WORLDS THAT I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT.

THERE'S SO MANY, SO MANY VALUES AND I THINK PEOPLE ALSO FORGET IN SANTA FE THAT WHILE WE'RE RIGHTLY RECOGNIZED AS AN IMPORTANT HOME TO THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A CENTURIES OLD GREAT LITERARY TRADITION HERE.

YOU KNOW, BEGINNING WITH INDIGENOUS AND HISPANO PEOPLES, THEIR ORAL STORYTELLING TRADITIONS, YOU KNOW, LONG LINE OF TREMENDOUS WRITERS, YOU KNOW, WHOSE WORKS SPEAK TO THE AMERICAN WEST, INTO THE WORLD AT LARGE.

YOU KNOW, WE ALSO THINK, OUR SORT OF THEME HERE AT THE FESTIVAL THIS YEAR IS THE POWER OF STORY.

AND WE THINK WHAT A BETTER MOMENT FOR SANTA FE TO BE TAKING ON A FESTIVAL LIKE THIS AND NEW MEXICO AS A WHOLE, LET'S FACE IT, THE WORLD JUST SEEMS SO CONSUMED BY CONFLICT NOW.

OUR PLANET IS UNDER SIEGE, WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHERE BOOKS ARE BANNED, YOU KNOW, AND TOLERANCE AND CIVILITY ARE IN REMARKABLY SHORT SUPPLY AND WE THINK THAT NEW MEXICO AND SANTA FE AND THE INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL CAN BE AN IMPORTANT, NOT TO OVERSTATE IT, BUT AN IMPORTANT LIGHT AGAINST THE DARK.

WHERE WORDS AND FACTS AND VALUES ACTUALLY MATTER, AND WHERE OUR SHARED HUMANITY IS NOT ONLY RECOGNIZED, BUT CELEBRATED.

WE JUST THINK WRITING AND READING IS REALLY ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING HUMAN AND STORYTELLING NOT ONLY DEEPENS OUR CONNECTIONS TO EACH OTHER, BUT CUTS AGAINST THE GRAINS OF KIND OF SIMPLISTIC THINKING AND POLARIZATION THAT THREATENS THE SOCIETY SO MUCH NOW.

SO WE THINK, YOU KNOW, START WITH KIDS AS YOUNG AS POSSIBLE AND HOPEFULLY, AS I SAID EARLIER ON, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY FROM CHILDREN ON TO US GRAY HAIRS HERE.

>>LORENE: AND ALSO THE PANDEMIC AS A TWO-EDGED SWORD, TAKES AWAY A LOT OF THINGS FROM US, BUT ONE THING IT HAS GIVEN A LOT OF PEOPLE IS TIME THAT THEY WOULD NORMALLY SPEND OUT GALLIVANTING AND MINGLING WHEN THEY CAN BE HOME AND LOOK DEEP AND READ BEAUTIFUL LIFE CHANGING BOOKS.

AND THEN COME TO A HUGE EVENT LIKE THE SANTA FE INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL AND JUST TAKE IT ALL IN.

>>MARK: IT'S REALLY TRUE.

>>CLARE: I THINK PEOPLE LOVE BEING TOGETHER, THESE LEADERS, AND I THINK THAT THE AUTHORS LOVE BEING HERE AND PEOPLE WERE REALLY LIFTED UP OUT OF THIS FESTIVAL LAST YEAR, I MEAN, I HADN'T REALLY FELT THAT.

>>MARK: DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE WERE COMING OUT OF, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE STILL COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, BUT, MANY OF US COMING TOGETHER AT THE FESTIVAL WAS THE FIRST TIME WE'D BEEN OUT OF OUR LITTLE PERSONAL, YOU KNOW, FAMILY BUBBLES.

AND I THINK PEOPLE CAME AWAY, WHETHER IT WAS, YOU KNOW, THE AUTHORS, PUBLISHERS WHO ATTENDED, THE FESTIVAL GOERS OR MANY VOLUNTEER ORGANIZERS LIKE US, OUR MANY PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE CAME AWAY REALLY UPLIFTED ABOUT THINGS.

WE CAME AWAY, I THINK ALL, MUCH MORE SORT OF JAZZED ABOUT LIFE AND INSPIRED AND COMMITTED TO THE FUTURE, WHICH IS EVERYTHING WE'D HOPED FOR AND MORE.

YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T REALLY THINK THAT WOULD HAPPEN.

IT ALL WENT SO WELL THAT YEAH, NOW WE'RE CRAZY ENOUGH TO TRY IT AGAIN.

>>CLARE: YOU SAW MARGARET ATWOOD LAST YEAR, SHE WAS IN HER EIGHTIES.

>>LORENE: I ACTUALLY HAD INTERVIEWED HER WITH HER PARTNER YEARS AGO AND I GAVE HER A COPY OF THE INTERVIEW NOW THAT HE'S NO LONGER WITH US, BUT IT WAS LOVELY.

BUT WE'VE COME TO THE END OF OUR TIME.

HAVING A STACK OF DELICIOUS BOOKS TO LOOK FORWARD TO READ IS A WONDERFUL PANACEA FOR WHATEVER AILS YOU.

BUT OUR GUESTS TODAY ARE CLARE HERTEL AND MARK BRYANT.

YOU ARE THE FOUNDING CO-FOUNDERS OF THE SANTA FE INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL THAT IS BEING HELD IN SANTA FE THE WEEKEND OF MAY 19TH THROUGH THE 21ST OF THIS YEAR.

GO ONLINE TO YOUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS WWW.SFINTERNATIONALLITFEST.ORG START YOUR READING BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THESE AUTHORS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

>>MARK: THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>>LORENE: IT'S BEEN MY PLEASURE.

>>MARK: ALWAYS A PLEASURE, THANK YOU.

>>LORENE: AND I'M LORENE MILLS, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, OUR AUDIENCE, FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM